Engelberg, Switzerland, Friday, August 17, 2012

We Can See the Alps

We left St. George one month ago. We feel like we have been here longer than that which is a good thing. We are savoring and enjoying each day and feel blessed to be able to see the places we have been and meet the great people we have met.
We had a great nights sleep and when we awake, the Alps are really out there and we can see them. We can see the trail from our window as we get packed and ready for breakfast. Breakfast is great, some kind of Swiss muesli which tastes great, rolls, salami, cheeses, and croissants. Orange juice and coffee to wash it all down with. We would like to linger but the excitement of the trail calls to us.

First Climb Check

We leave Brusti and immediately start to climb. In no time we are out of the trees and in the sun. It is a steady climb up a ridge where we can see down two different valleys. We now see the cows we heard in the fog yesterday. We are heading up the Surenenpass about 2500 feet above where we slept. Several people pass us by but the wimps only have day packs. We started out with 3 quarts of water each so it adds more than 6 pounds. Roughly we are lugging 29-30 pounds on our backs.

Still Climbing

The trail continues to climb and even though we thought we were getting a workout in Germany climbing to all the castles, our legs start to feel the steepness. As the trail steepens, so does our gasping for oxygen. We are a lot lower than Colorado mountains starting at just under 5000 feet but our legs want more oxygen so huff and puff we are doing. We can now see down a huge valley back towards where we started and the pass in sight in front of us.
This is not going to be easy!

Where We Started Yesterday

We climb over a small hill and can now see down to Lake Luzern and where we started yesterday in Fleulen. looking down is certainly better than looking up at where we have to go. Sweat is already pouring off me and we are just beginning to get to the steepest parts. Overall, our pace is good as we stubbornly continue to climb. We come to our first Swiss switchback which lasts for about 15 feet and turns straight up again. My legs are tightening up in the calves and we are both stopping more often as the steepness takes our breath away. The good part is when we stop the scenery is taking our breath away too. We are in Switzerland hiking the Alps, caught up in the moment and the challenge that we have taken on. Our bodies are being utilized at full capacity, as we make the final stretch up to the pass.

At the Pass

Finally, 3 hours from when we started, we top the ridge and a phenomenal view opens up before us. I can’t see it through all the sweat rolling into my eyes, but I know it is there.
We take our packs off and admire the view all our sweat and hard work has gotten us to. We have a great view of Mount Titlis and the glacier beneath it. After a nice lunch of bread and cheese, we start down the other side of the pass. In most cases, we can make much better time hiking down than hiking up. This is not one of those cases. The trail is steep and with the weight of our packs, we have to watch our step most of the way down. The trail would be even more difficult if it wasn’t for our hiking poles.

Mid Hike Beer at Blackenalp

We soon make it to the
hut at Blackenalp where we can use restrooms, fill up with cold water, and share a beer. They have some rooms and make their own cheese here, and as we sit the sound of cowbells serenade us. We want to stay longer but we still have quite a ways to go. At a trail junction, it gets really steep as we pass a waterfall and descend to the river below it. The downhill is relentless until we cross the river and find a small patch of shaded trail through some woods. It doesn’t last long and we are soon in the sun again.
We emerge from the trail at Furenalpbahn, a cable car station. There is a bus stop here for Engleberg. The bus is 30 minutes out but will whisk us to town in 13 minutes, where the remaining walk is predicted to be an hour. We are pretty done in so we decide to wait and share the bench with an older couple. I forgot to mention that it has been unusually hot today, well over 85 up high and with the humidity, it has sapped our strength. About 5 minutes before the bus comes, a group of about 40 or more old ladies show up and then another group of 30 pr so school kids. There is only one bus per hour so this is going to be interesting. The bus arrives and they all try to push ahead of us and the older couple, very rudely. My New York upbringing kicks in and I shove my way and snag 2 seats, but Carol is not to be seen. She eventually squeezes on and fights her we y to the seat. Somehow, the driver lets everyone on, and it is one of the fullest buses, I have ever been on. We make it to the train station in Engleberg but still have an hour or more walk up to Gerschnialp. Engleberg is not the cute little village, I was imagining, quite spread out and quite busy. I ask the guy at the train office if there is a bus to Gerschnialp and he says we must take the Titlis cable car. We see signs pointing the way and head there. We arrive at the ticket office and pay the bargain price of 7 SF for both of us and right after we pay, she closes the counter. It is 5 o’clock and they close at 5 so we are the last ride up. Whew, is all I can say. We could have made it, but the enjoyment factor had been sucked out of us at this point.

Cows by the Gasthaus

Getting off at Gerschnialp, we have a 15 minute walk to the Pension Gerschnialp. We check in at 5:30 and dinner is at 6:30 so we have time for a shower which helps our mood tremendously. This is our second half board of the hike with dinner and breakfast included in the room price. We eat outside in a beautiful valley surrounded by the majestic Alps and all is right again with the world.

Dinner and Beer

Dinner is much more than we expected. Soup, salad, a pork steak with an egg on top, noodles, carrots, and green beans. We are happy with the amount of food when a few minutes later, mom brings out a tremendous plate of French fries. We are stuffed and the waitress who speaks no English asks if we want coffee. We decline and she says Eis ( ice cream). Pretty full, I ask if it is included with the half board and she does not understand. We finish our beer and just stand up and walk around the deck, when the waitress returns with two large ice cream sundaes. A great finish to a grueling yet satisfying day. Too tired to write, we go to our room and crash.
CNC
When you see a fork in the trail, take it- adapted from the great Yogi Berra

Expenses
5SF- beer at Blackenalp
7SF- tickets for the Titlis cable car
186.40SF- Pension Gerschnialp with half board
10.40SF- 2 beers with dinner

Miles Walked- 12.5 unflat miles